Positive Behavioral Supports DVD

Session 4

The Principles and Practices of Building Community﻿

Dealing with anger and its consequences is one of the most difficult and important challenges we face in supporting people with developmental disabilities. This presentation is focused to provide attendees with “best practice approaches” which will assist them in supporting others in diminishing the causes of anger. It is through the tools and values of Universal Enhancement (UE) that we support others in having a life free of the influences that tend to lead toward aggression and other forms of socially unacceptable behavior.

In this presentation Dr. Pomeranz assesses the medical/biological, psychological/psychiatric and environmental influences of socially inappropriate behavior. Emphasis is placed on proactive strategies to identify and respond to the unmet needs of the individual. Limitations of classical behavior management approaches are discussed. Through example and short story Tom makes it clear that “anger communicates unmet need.”

Getting a life for people and coaching them into it-- is an effective intervention for supporting people in behaving in more socially acceptable ways. Supporting people in possessing and experiencing “things” of value in their lives (hobbies, volunteering, education, spirituality, and leisure pursuits) noncontigently, promotes a quality life. The quality of one’s life is enhanced when family, friends and others who support them behave in ways that embrace the tools of UE. Lives void of value and meaning result in anomie - if my life has no meaning and my life has no value, I will behave in a way to cause your life to have no meaning and no value either.﻿